Gross written premium rises by 12.7% in Q4 2023 to US$14bn, says CBUAE
ABU DHABI, UAE - The UAE insurance sector continued to grow in Q4 2023, as reflected by the increase in...
Economy
California looks to Europe to rein in deployment of AI
The richest state in the United States by GDP, California is a hotbed of no-holds-barred tech innovation, but lawmakers in...
Business
Geostrategy
Israeli attack killed journalist in Gaza: Al Jazeera
The Qatari network had first reported that cameraman Samer Abu Daqqa and Gaza bureau chief Wael Al-Dahdouh were wounded in...
- The network said that following Samer's injury, he was left to bleed to death for over 5 hours
- Al Jazeera held "Israel accountable for systematically targeting and killing Al Jazeera journalists"
Geostrategy
Storm-1152: Vietnam-based creator of fake Microsoft accounts
Seoul, South Korea - Microsoft has seized the websites of a Vietnam-based group it alleges sold millions of fake accounts to...
- Storm-1152 is "the number one seller and creator of fraudulent Microsoft accounts", creating around 750 million to date, the company said Wednesday
- Storm-1152 pursued a model called "cybercrime-as-a-service" or CaaS, acting as a provider to other criminal groups, Microsoft and Arkose said
Business
EU seeks critical details from Apple and Google on digital safety
Brussels, Belgium - The EU demanded on Thursday that Apple and Google provide more details on how they identified risks concerning...
- The European Commission said it wanted "more information on how" Apple and Google "have diligently identified any systemic risks concerning the App Store and Google Play"
- It also wants the companies to demonstrate that they have complied with rules on digital marketplaces and transparency about adverts in order to protect users online.
Business
MBC IPO retail subscription begins
MBC Group runs a group of TV and radio channels.
- The subscription process for the retail tranche of MBC Group will run for five days until December 18.
- The Capital Market Authority approved, on November 21, the company's request to float 33.25 million shares in an IPO.
Chinese mourners use AI to digitally resurrect the dead
Several companies specialising in so-called "ghost bots" have emerged in the United States in recent years. But the industry is...
- Some Chinese firms claim to have created thousands of "digital people" from as little as 30 seconds of audiovisual material of the deceased
- They range from those who have died to living parents unable to spend time with their children and -- controversially -- a heartbroken woman's ex-boyfriend
Business
GCC media outlets think outside the box to stay afloat
Reeling from a calamitous drop in advertisement revenues and public trust, news media organizations are reworking strategies to create "niche"...
- Many believe news media outlets have been distracted from their role to safeguard space for informed debate on public issues
- Several well trusted media outlets with deep pockets are battling against thinning revenues and being forced to think differently
Geostrategy
Digitalization has high environmental costs, says UNCTAD meet
DUBAI, UAE - With global attention on the COP28 climate summit, UNCTAD’s eWeek 2023 highlighted digitalization’s potential to accelerate climate...
- Data-driven technologies like the Internet of Things, robotics and artificial intelligence can enhance climate change monitoring.
- The digital transformation has left its mark on the planet through raw material depletion, energy and water use, pollution and waste.
Research
Google releases the top trending searches of the year in MENA
Dubai, UAE - Google on Monday released the top trending searches of 2023 for the Middle East and North Africa....
- Saudi Arabia has been searching for football throughout the year, with many events and tournaments happening on-ground
- In the news list in Egypt, the war in Palestine ranked first, followed by the devaluation of the Egyptian Pound
Cloud security challenges haunt firms in UAE and KSA
Rapid cloud adoption in the two GCC countries is accompanied by increased security risks, leading to costly data breaches, reveals...
- Rapid cloud adoption in the two GCC countries is accompanied by increased security risks, leading to costly data breaches, reveals a latest study by Illumio.
- Organizations have been advised to adopt robust security measures, including Zero Trust Segmentation, to protect against emerging cyber threats.
Business
WhatsApp update allows posting status updates via Instagram
Washington, United States -- The instant messaging platform WhatsApp launched a new update that includes an optional feature that allows...
- This feature will be available in a future update to the application through its beta program within the Google Play Store.
- WhatsApp is also working on an improved posting feature to make it compatible with Instagram, scheduled for a future release, QNA reported.
Gross written premium rises by 12.7% in Q4 2023 to US$14bn, says CBUAE
ABU DHABI, UAE - The UAE insurance sector continued to grow in Q4 2023, as reflected by the increase in...
Economy
Company News
Latest News
UAE sets innovative media policy to propel the country onto global stage
DUBAI – Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Hamed, Chairman of the UAE Media Council (UAEMC), has approved a comprehensive legislative...
Economy
MENA ups cybersecurity ante to combat GenAI risks
With GenAI emerging as a new frontier for cyber threats, and stricter data privacy laws coming into effect, organizations are...
Business
Most Read
MENA print media revenues fell 30% from 2018 to 2022: survey
The report stresses the urgent need for MENA news organizations to overhaul business models, adopt digital strategies, and diversify content...
- The analysis also forecasts a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -4% up to 2027, which could cause total MENA revenues to fall even further to US$1.2 billion
- The figures also show that while digital advertising revenues are slowly increasing at a rate of 1% per year, print advertising revenues are set to slump by 11.3% by 2027
Starlink satellites approved for use in Israel and Gaza
Access to reliable, high-speed internet will "enable potentially life-saving medical consultations via real-time video calling," UAE Foreign Ministry spokesperson Afra...
- Under the deal, Starlink will support internet access at an Emirati-run field hospital in Rafah, with further expansion in the besieged territory subject to Israeli approval
- Starlink low latency high speed connections will enable video conferencing with other hospitals and real-time remote diagnostics," Israeli Minister of Communications said
Opinion
Strengthen emotional security to thwart cyberattacks
While love, loneliness, and excitement are easily exploitable emotions, any factor impacting someone’s emotional state can make them a target....
- Social engineering exploits individual vulnerabilities, using human nature to gain the unauthorized access.
- Heightened emotions, such as those around Valentine’s Day, can make individuals more susceptible to cyberattacks.